November/ December 2021

25TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION FOCUS 42 HYDRAULICS & PNEUMATICS November/December 2021 www.hpmag.co.uk range point.” Tom Parker Ltd has expanded greatly in terms of employees over the 25 years, quadrupling in size since 1996. “Our key focus is always on providing our customers with unrivalled levels of service, through product knowledge, delivery and after sales service,” says Cole. “Nowadays, we consider this to be our major strength, particularly product knowledge.” Global supply and distribution network Cole has seen a great deal of change across all areas of the fluid power industry including the supply market. “The growth of Asia and China has been huge since 1996,” he says. “Back in 1996, we imported from manufacturers (who we are still proud to work closely with) in the USA, EU & Sweden but now we have developed a complete global network of trusted and reliable high quality product suppliers, with many different specialisms across pneumatics, hydraulics, industrial and process and exclusive products available. Over the last 25 years, we have added many products to our now comprehensive range. Our new two-year catalogue due out in January contains no less than 36,000 lines. Some brand additions include EMC Pneumatics, CDC push in fittings, Fastest leak test connectors, Sicomat aluminium ring main systems and Aignep to the brands the company was found on in the 70s & 80s – CEJN quick connect couplers, CPC quick connect couplers, Master Pneumatic air preparation units, Werther Compressors and Rotoflux rotary unions. Cole comments that in 1996 the only catalogue company in the fluid power sector that was notably successful was RS Components, who mainly targeted the end user/OEM market. “Then, several companies, including Tom Parker Ltd, started catalogues aimed at both distribution and OEM/EU,” he says. “Back then, the distribution catalogues were Tom Parker Ltd catalogues, badged for local distributors only. Now we have a wide network of distributors right across the entire UK who have the same internal catalogue pages, priced or unpriced and can have a completely bespoke cover and internal section promoting their own strengths, unique selling points and individual products and services. Over 25 years, the ‘catalogue’ distribution market grew from 0 to 6 companies and now there are only 2 independent distributors left in the UK fluid power network. We are enormously proud to be one of these pair and in fact the most established as 2022 is Tom Parker Ltd.’s 50th anniversary.” More control and ancillary options Elaine Slater, managing director, Hydraulic Projects Ltd, comments: “I’m not sure how much has changed in the basic design of control valves in the last 25 years. We are essentially supplying the same basic valves but with more control and ancillary options. Electronic remote control is probably one of the biggest changes in many industries where operators want to stand well clear of machinery.” Slater adds that she has seen huge advances in machine technology, which have enabled Hydraulic Projects Ltd to keep its products competitive. “Most of our machines now run un-manned at night as well as during the day, and many are essentially robot/pallet loading,” she explains. “Massive arrays of tooling in each machine have reduced long and expensive set-up times to zero in many cases.” Variable speed drive revolution In terms of technological advancements of note over the past quarter of a century, Ranger comments it is interesting to reflect that it was only a couple of years prior to the launch of this magazine that variable speed drives (VSDs) were just being brought to market as a way to reduce the energy wastage of compressors. “I would say the introduction and quick uptake of VSDs was the single biggest and most important change our industry has seen over this period,” he says. “VSDs have changed the landscape in terms of the way products are sold to customers. The potential energy savings were quickly made demonstrable and the popularity of compressors with integrated VSD technology increased. Also, around the time VSDs were originally launched to market, Ranger explains that the industry also saw the launch of building management systems that were independent from compressor control. “More users started to use a SCADA system with a building management system,” he explains. were all manufacturers in their own right, but now we don’t have that level of UK manufacturing presence. The importers of these products take on the legal responsibilities of a manufacturer supplying their distribution channels in the UK. With the recent changes, it has become more important for purchasers to understand the legal responsibilities of manufacturer’s distributors and suppliers or products especially where the CE mark or UKCA mark is concerned, as this has a direct impact on the liability for product safety.” The customer comes first As the name of the company suggests, Custom Fittings Ltd produces many customised special parts – including bespoke adaptors, connectors, hose fittings and pipe fittings. “We work closely with our customers to design and produce whatever’s required,” says Crowther. “However, these bespoke parts are not always ordered in large quantities. Our stock parts are regularly produced in 100s, sometimes 1000s, but customised parts are only made in the numbers that are required, and this may only amount to 20 or 30 individual items. But at the end of the day, we are here to serve our customers regardless of what their requirements are.” Crowther explains that over the past couple of decades, things have changed in terms of the products Custom Fittings Ltd provides. “Back in the 1980s, our main product line was high-pressure NPT (BS3799) and low-pressure BSP (BS1740) pipe fittings,” he says. “However, after the Far East started to produce similar fittings and export them to Europe, we found it difficult to compete on price even though the quality and precision of our products was substantially greater. The hydraulics market was a natural progression, and we now manufacture and stock one of the largest ranges of Stainless Steel 316 hydraulic hose couplings and adaptors currently available today. This business continues to grow as does the competition, but the market has also grown exponentially and seems to keep everyone busy.” Consistent values Cole reflects that while certain things have changed at Tom Parker Ltd over the past couple of decades, the company’s traditional core values very much remain the same. “We still aim to be the first- choice supplier for our customers requiring high quality quick connect couplings and related components,” he says. “The emphasis here really is on the quality, as Tom Parker Ltd positions itself and its products at the top end of those available and never drops below the mid- Phil Keep, managing director, MP Filtri UK.